


Grellic Drabble Collection

by daisydactyl



Category: Kuroshitsuji | Black Butler
Genre: Comfort, Domestic, Drabbles, F/M, Female pronouns for Grell, Hurt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2017-11-15
Packaged: 2018-05-11 01:09:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 12,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5608033
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/daisydactyl/pseuds/daisydactyl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Going to be a small collection of Grellic drabbles, most coming from my rp blog.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Storms

Fear had always seemed so pointless to her. Grell did not like to give into fear if it was avoidable, she had always been strong and fearless after all. However when she saw that first gathering of clouds she couldn’t stop that little shiver that ran down her spine.

She hated storms.

However she pressed on through the day, all the while praying that nothing would go past some heavy rain. Rain she adored, but storms made her into something she didn’t like. She hated the loud sudden sounds, the flashes of light, the unyielding winds – she just hated it all.

            She simply tried to keep her focus on her work for once, moving through all her paperwork quickly so she wouldn’t have to be in the office if a storm did make its way to them. She wouldn’t be seen like that, no she would go back to her flat and wait it out in solitude where no one could see her. 

Her eyes kept nervously darting towards the window, hoping in vain that she would see the gathering clouds and rain disappear. She would just need to move even faster. The redhead let out a slow deep breath, foot tapping anxiously against the floor beneath her desk. Lips pressed tightly together as her pen scratched her signature into paper after paper, trying to push through as quickly as possible. True it would be lower pay for clocking out early, but she would be okay with that as long as she didn’t have to stay when the storm arrived in earnest. 

A sigh of relief almost left her when she pushed the final paper away from herself – now she could just make it back to her flat (and not a moment too soon judging by the sounds of the wind). Once everything had been gathered up she turned it in without thought or even waiting to hear if there was anything else she needed to do, instead she made a bee line for the door so she could clock out and leave. 

Porting to her flat wasn’t nearly as fast as she would’ve liked it to be, but once she was in there was the first strike of lighting. A squeak left her lips and her hands went to cover her ears, eyes tightly closed and body coiled tightly. Once the first strike was over she went straight for her room, putting herself beneath her blankets and curling herself into a tight ball. 

She just wanted this to be over.

Grell didn’t know how long she stayed like that, only that it felt like an eternity. However since she was far too focused on her fear she didn’t notice the sound of the door to her flat opening or the sound of a familiar voice calling for her.

“Ey Grellie? Spears said ye left early, couldn’t even wait for me could ye?” Eric let out a chuckle as he entered, his copy of her key going back into his pocket. Yet when he finally looked around he was surprised to see that she was nowhere to be found, not lounging about or even searching for food – that didn’t seem right. He hadn’t taken too much notice of the storm raging outside, save for the cold it brought him, but now that a particular redhead was nowhere to be found it felt almost ominous.

“Grell? Come on out now.” He called, staring at the spots where her coat and shoes had been dumped haphazardly. Well she was at least somewhere inside, though he couldn’t think of why she wouldn’t be answering him.

He moved about, searching out for where she might’ve been hiding (maybe trying to surprise him? That seemed like something she would do). However when he saw her bedroom door ajar he almost breathed a sigh of relief, but instead he only let a crooked grin spread across his lips as he moved forward. 

“Hidin’ from me ey Grel–” He stopped, brows furring at the sight of a shaking mass of blankets and the sound of muted whimpers and cries. That didn’t seem right at all. A large hand went up to rub at the back of his neck, uncertain of what he was supposed to make of the current situation. It was strange to see her like that, Grell had never been one to hide herself away like that. 

He stepped forward, slowly reaching out a hand to lift the blanket away from her.

At first Grell hadn’t noticed anything until she found her blankets moving away but when they were pulled away to reveal a very confused looking Eric she felt a flood of shame washing over her. He wasn’t supposed to see this, why had he even come here? She didn’t have a chance to say anything before another clap of thunder forced a terrified squeak from her lips as she pressed her eyes tightly closed and curled up again. 

He’d been preparing for a joke at her expense, but hearing that small sound of terror and seeing the way she’d just curled herself into a ball stopped him in his tracks. His expression seemed to soften before he sat down and her bed dipped beneath his weight. 

He pulled her blanket back, uncertain what to make of the way she peeked out at him and curled up tighter. That wouldn’t do at all. Shaking his head he prodded her side, rolling his eyes when she only curled up tighter. What in the world was she doing? “Ey, wha’s with all this?” He asked, voice laden with confusion. 

Grell knew she couldn’t just ignore his question, she would have to have some kind of reason for him to find her like this. Gathering up what courage she could she sat up and faced him, hands clutching tightly the legs of her trousers as she opened her mouth to speak.

But another flash of lightly and clap of thunder meant she didn’t have a chance.

It wasn’t even a thought, Grell just latched herself on to Eric, face buried in his chest and voice muffled by his shirt. How dumb she must’ve looked like this, she was so rarely afraid and yet a simple storm had reduced her to a trembling mess. 

Eric’s surprise only grew when she’d grabbed on to him, but her terrified sounds and the grip of her hands to his shirt finally made him understand what was happening. The great Grell Sutcliff who would’ve kicked anyone’s arse for even insinuating that she was uncomfortable, was afraid of a storm. 

Normally he might’ve laughed at the notion, but the way she was right now meant he couldn’t bring himself to do that. Instead he only sighed and wrapped his arms around her. It wasn’t much, but it was really all he could offer for the moment.

Grell hadn’t expected his arms around her, but somehow they made her feel safer than her blanket barrier ever had.


	2. No Waiting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment of need between Grell and Eric

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please note that in this one Grell is biologically female

Moments of absolute need were some of the best. The way he pushed her down and didn’t even bother to remove her clothes, just moved them out of his way and pressed his lips against her skin. There were no words, only hushed pants and sharp gasps that resounded around them as Eric pushed her clothes aside and breathed in the scent of her skin.

Grell felt like this could last forever, and truth be told she wouldn’t mind at all if it did. She loved the way his calloused hands felt when they ran their way up her sides beneath her shirt, and the hold they took on her waist before cupping her breasts and pulling her closer. Her skin flushed a deep red and her heart raced in her chest, all the things that reminded her of just how well Eric could play her. He knew her inside and out and this was just another way that he proved it.

A low growl sounded form her throat when he sunk his teeth into her neck and pressed inside her, the mix sensations relieving her mind of any thoughts she still might’ve had. When they were like this she didn’t need to think and she certainly didn’t want to think either – she just wanted to feel.

The way their clothes rubbed against their skin made them all the more warm, and for Grell it made everything all the dirtier – but she liked things like that. Her hands found purchase in his shirt, keeping him as close as she possibly could before she muffled the sound of her voice into his chest.

Her hips pressed themselves against his, trying to force greater sensation on the both of them. She could feel her nails creating tears in his shirt but that didn’t matter, and it didn’t matter that it would be hell to wash her skirt and underwear when he was done with her, the only thing that mattered was the way he was making her want this moment to continue.

If this moment was to go on for an eternity then she would have no qualms about keeping it that way.


	3. After Glow Distraction

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric distracts Grell in their after glow

Grell breathed out a content sounding sigh, skin still slick and flushed as she curled against Eric’s side, face nuzzling into his broad chest. The moments of after glow were some of her favorites, even if he could be a little adverse to her desires for soft need for emotional intimacy. Her lips pulled into an exhausted but pleasant grin when she felt his arm wrap around her and her close to his side. 

It was nice to be like this again, this time they had been separated too long. They always found a way back though, no matter what they couldn’t stay away from each other. She never knew how long these moments would last but she didn’t want to let them go if she didn’t have to. Maybe this would be one of their longer times, or maybe he’d be gone by the end of the week again, but for the moment she wouldn’t think about that, only enjoy the warmth of his embrace as their skin cooled. 

Calloused fingertips gently dragged up and down her back, pausing to trace them over a rather noticeable and jagged scar that ran up her left side.  Of course she knew what he was tracing though, one of the things that had simply refused to change. “Stop that, you know I hate how it looks.” She mumbled, burying her face into his chest as she spoke. 

That only earned a soft chuckle from his lips, she was kind of cute when she was pouting about things like that. He ignored her words, fingertips still gently trailing over the scar. He’d seen it time and time again and yet he still couldn’t understand how she could really think that he cared about. 

“Yer jus’ mad because you fell off a roof.” He chuckled, tugging her a little closer as he grin took up his features. 

Full lips turned to a pout before she lightly smacked her hand against his chest, She had long since grown used to the way he teased, and most of the time it was easily ignored, but for the moment she just wanted something soft and easy, something that felt safe. 

“Don’ be such a fussy thing burd.” He said, grin still unwilling to leave his face. He didn’t want to put her in a mood when he was enjoying the familiar feeling of having her beside him again. He turned slightly to press her as close to his chest, tucking her head beneath his chin after kissing her hair and relishing in the feeling of his naked skin pressing against hers. 

Though she shook her head Grell couldn’t stop the relaxed grin that spread across her lips, as much as they fell apart they always came back together. How she loved that arrogant, stupid, and wonderful arse of a man. 


	4. Left Behind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> TW: Death  
> Eric has survived the events of the musical, Alan is dead and Eric now deep in hiding for his crimes. However Grell has volunteered to find him and she has her own reasons for doing so.

     That _bastard_. Of course he would have run after his failure, of course he would’ve given up everything for a goddamn _boy_. When the call had been put out for someone to go after him she’d signed up without hesitation and no one questioned it, why should they? She was a monster and he’d scorned her.

     Grell wouldn’t even dream letting anyone else near him, not when she was angry like this. They could’ve had everything, everything could’ve been the way she’d hoped for it to be. Everything could’ve come together and they could’ve had the life they’s spoken of, but instead he’d thrown it all away for the sake of some boy that had never had any hope in the first place.

     It had been easy to find him, she knew him better than anyone after all. He’d be hiding out somewhere low and secluded, no doubt drinking himself away again. She’d always hated his drinking habits – but she’d loved _him_. 

     Who was she kidding, she still loved that arrogant bastard.

     Then why was she going to take his life? 

     No she wouldn’t think about that, she had a job to do. She had to get this horrible feeling out, the terrible voice that wouldn’t stop reminding her that he’d chosen to give up his life for Humphries, that he’d chosen to leave her behind – that he’d really stopped caring, that maybe he’d never loved her in the first place.

     She didn’t knock when she found his little hideout, she just barged in, eyes alight with rage and perhaps even a little despair hidden beneath it. 

     He shouted when she came in, expecting anyone but her to come for him – he’d been prepared to die but not by her. 

     Grell bared her teeth and launched herself at him, shoving him back against against a wall with all the strength she possessed. He didn’t fight her on it, simply fell back against the grimy wall with a muffled thud, expression strange and almost remorseful – had it not been clouded with anger. 

     She didn’t hear anything he yelled at her though, didn’t hear the way he asked her if she was mad or the way he told her to get off him, her mind was focused only on the task at hand. 

     “You knew this was going to happen! A thousand souls Eric! A thousand! You gave up everything! Your chance of forgiveness is gone now!” Even as she shrieked she couldn’t stop the tears that had welled up in her eyes, but she doubted he’d care.

     “You didn’t have to do it you know! You didn’t have to kill or die for him! It never had to be this way! You don’t have to choose him!” Oh she hadn’t meant to say that, oh well it didn’t matter now anyway. He’d made his choice already.

     “Ye fucking idiot!”

     Grell hadn’t expected him to yell back or to see a rage inside him that mirrored her own. 

     “It’s no’ a choice! I tol’ him it would be okay ‘n I couldn’t fix it! Yer such a fucking idiot Grell –there’s no choice when it’s you. I fucked up wit’ Alan he wasn’ supposed to die cause I was supposed to show him how to avoid tha’ shit and it didn’t work. I tried to fix wha' I fucked up – but you can’t see tha’!”

     No he was wrong, just lying to save his own skin, he had to be.

     “Shut up! Don’t lie to me!” She was getting angry now, forgetting what her plan had been. She’d wanted to take everything out on him but instead he was making it harder and harder for her to do what she needed, or least for her to do it right. 

     “’S not a lie Grellie! Jus’ once will ye listen to me!?” 

     No she couldn’t do it, couldn’t stand to hear it anymore. He had to die, if she didn’t end him then someone else would and no one else deserved the opportunity to do it – no one else had loved him like she did.

     “ **SHUT UP**!” She didn’t think, only reached for the blade and her side and plunged it into his gut in a rage. Her eyes were tightly closed and she could feel tears washing down her face, this could’ve been so different, everything could’ve been better. 

     She didn’t open her eyes when she heard her guttural sound of pain or the familiar sound of blood rising in his throat. However, the familiar feeling of a larger calloused hand against her cheek made her open her eyes. 

     Eric. He looked so pained, and she could see the blood that stained his lips and the tears of pain in his eyes, but he was still looking at her. His thumb gently brushed at the tears on her face, his expression a painful grimace. 

     “Ye fucking idiot woman, I _always_  choose you. Yer a lit’le brat and a pain in me arse, but yer an idiot fer thinkin’ that I chose ‘im over you. I love ye lass, never lied about tha’…” His gaze seemed to be fade and his words were growing slow and softer.

     No no no, it had to be a lie, it had to be, if it wasn’t that meant that – Gods she was a fool. Her own shoulders started to shake and her breath came out in short sharp pants, this couldn’t be the end. He was right, she was such a fucking idiot, she had always been one, but why was it so hard to believe that he was telling the truth? Why did it feel like she was still the one he’d forgotten?

     No, he was starting to slump down the wall and his breathing was getting shallower. Grell felt panic welling up inside her, he couldn’t do this to her – not when they still had a chance! “Eric don’t do this, don’t do this bastard!” She cried, coming down with him and grabbing at his face to force him to look at her.

     She couldn’t pull the blade out – if she just left it in then maybe he wouldn’t bleed out, maybe they could just run together, anything but this.

     Eric tried to lift his hand but found that he didn’t have the strength, instead he simply let this thumb brush against her hand. “Still..beautiful  bird…I’d always choose ye Grellie, I love ye…” 

     “Eric please don’t do this, I love you, don’t leave me please – we can go together! Just you and me.”

     “Don’ be a…a fuckin’ idiot lass…I ain’t goin’ nowhere…’n ye can’ come wit’ me.”

     Now she couldn’t stop her shaking or her choked sobs, she’d screwed up so badly – she’d ruined everything they could’ve had. He was losing his familiar warmth that she’d grown used to and she could see him struggling to breathe. This wasn’t what she’d wanted, when she’d come for him she’d thought it would be easy, but now it was just too hard and it was too late.

     “Don’t say that, I’m not an idiot, you’re not going anywhere without me you bastard!”

     “Heh…Yer right, yer not an idiot darlin’…tha’s what I love about ye…”

     Of course he would say things like that when they were in this situation. Grell closed her eyes and gritted her teeth tightly together, _willing_ for everything to stop. 

     However they shot open again when she realized she could no longer heard the sound of his breathing. 

     She leaned to press her ear over his heart, praying that it would still be beating, but she only heard silence. No no no, he wasn’t supposed to leave, not when he’d chosen her!

     “Eric – Eric please don’t do this – don’t go, don’t do this to me!”

     But he had no answer for her and he was already growing cold. Grell felt her heart cracking and she began to weep, burying her face into his familiar chest and praying that she would wake to find it had all be a terrible nightmare, but she knew it was too real to be any kind of dream.

     “I chose you first…bastard.”

 


	5. Maybe A little

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another Grellic kissing moment

     He’d always known what to do when he wanted her to get distracted, and Eric used that knowledge to his advantage whenever he felt like it. He kept all his memories of her, every little spot that made her melt and all the little words that had her squirming, and when they inevitably came together again he had no problem with pulling out all those little things. 

     A whine rumbled in her throat when Grell felt him pulling her down into his lap, the space all to familiar to her. His strong arm wrapped itself around her waist to keep her firmly planted against him despite her squirming. His free hand moved to brush her hair away from her neck, trailing his lips up the sensitive flesh and smirking at her reaction to him. 

     “Stay quiet like a good girl ye?” He murmured between bites to her neck and jaw. He loved those little noises and squirms she made when he gave her an order like that. His grip on her waist tightened a bit before he sucked at the flesh on the underside of her jaw to leave a dark mark that stood out against her porcelain skin. He went back to biting at her skin, trailing a line of red marks up and down her jaw line and relishing in the way she tried in vain to stay quiet. 

     Maybe he’d leave her here a while just to make her anticipation grow.


	6. Goodnight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grell and Eric are ready to sleep for the night, but Eric has other, far more interesting plans for both of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is another drabble in which Grell is biologically female.

     The moments where they could be like this together were some of her favorites. Grell loved the feeling of Eric’s warmth beside her when she was drifting off, the way his form seemed to dwarf her own without even trying, it was all so wonderful to her. She let out a content sounding sigh, shifting slightly to press herself closer to his side. 

     As she got herself comfortable she felt him move his arm to tug her closer to his side, hearing that all too familiar chuckle he had. It was late and she knew the both of them should’ve been sleeping, but somehow she was fairly certain that would take a little longer than usual. She grinned and squirmed against him, seeking out more of his warmth.

     Eric sighed and mumbled something that she couldn’t hear, but she doubted it was too important at the moment. She could feel his fingertips gently stroking up and down her midsection, trailing over the skin the peeked out from her nightshirt in a way that she found relaxing.

     Without warning his hand dipped a little lower, lightly running along the lace that covered her lower half. The feeling made her whine softly and squirm against him, unable to stop the sleepy grin that spread across her lips. However her eyes opened slight when she felt him shifting to press up against her and hold her close to him from behind. 

     “Mmm darling what are you up to?” She asked, voice still soft and sleepy despite the smirk that had begun to form on her lips.

     “Shhh no talkin’” He replied gruffly, leaning his head down to press his lips against her exposed neck. 

      _Oh~. Well alright then~_  she thought to herself, holding her bottom lip between the points of her teeth before impishly rolling her backside against him. If those were his intentions then who was she to deny the opportunity for a little fun before bed? 

     The way his lips pressed against her neck and his teeth sunk into her skin were arousing her faster than she had anticipated, but that was for the best. A soft whine escaped her as his hand dipped beneath her underwear, fingertips calloused and teasing against her. The feeling had her pressing her backside harder against him, squirming and whining when she felt him stirring against her.

     The sound of her whines and the movement of her hips had Eric chuckling against her neck as his other hand came up to grope at her chest brazenly. His hand squeezed at her flesh, pressing himself harshly against her as he leg began to nudge hers apart. Eyes half lidded he looked her up and down, taking in the little twitches, the way her skin flushed, and look of her nightshirt riding up her body and wrinkling – he loved the sight of it all. 

     Her whines were giving way to hushed moans, legs spreading further of their own accord as her hips pushed down against his, eyes still lazily closed. This was so much softer usual, not nearly as desperate or rushed as they usually were but it was nice all the same. She could feel the dampness between her legs growing almost uncomfortable now, only the feeling of his fingers working between her legs enough to relieve her. 

     “Good girl, nice ‘n ready.” she loved it when he spoke like that even if it only made her flush deepen. She only keened and nodded to him, hips pushing back against his in a needy little display.

     As she squirmed she could feel him moving behind her, maneuvering himself out of his underwear and pressing himself against her. She could feel his breathing getting harder and the throbbing of his flesh against the lace of her underwear. Now wasn‘t the time for either of them to tease though, now when the need was so obvious.

     A soft gasp left her when she felt him move her own underwear to side, not even bothering to undress her all the way. She was alright with that though, this wasn’t about possession and lust, it was ease of the moment of comfort of the heart, all the things that they’d never quite been able to say but could never give up. It was feelings they had, the things that always had them coming back to each other.

     They both let out low breathless moans when he pressed inside her, Eric pulling her close to his chest so that he could feel as much of as body against his as possible. Grell loved the way his form swallowed her own, the way she felt safe like this.

     He kept his lips against her neck, marking her in the way that satisfied both their needs of possession. Whispering her name against her skin as his hips moved into hers he immersed himself in the feeling of the moment, he wanted to hold on to the way they were right now.

     His motions were hard and slow, not once allowing her body to stray away from his. Even as his hands dragged across her skin her own hands found their way to his forearms, holding them tightly to her as she moaned and squirmed against him. Grell didn’t want there to be any space between them, she wanted them to be as close as they possibly could.

     “ _Eric, please”_  she murmured voice trembling as she turned her head back to him, eyes half open and skin darkly flushed. However Eric stopped her from saying anything else by pressing his lips against her in a heated kiss that stole away whatever breath she might’ve had left. That’s what she loved about him, the way he did the things that she didn’t even realize she wanted.

     His lips swallowed up her every moan and muted her whines and keens. She could feel the pressure building in her abdomen, the need for release that took up her every sense. Her hips rolled and pushed against his, trying to hasten the approach of her release. 

     Of course Eric took notice of her little attempts, she was so cute when she got like that. Smirk against her lips one of his hand trailed it’s way away from her midsection and back between her legs, he could help her at least a little bit. His own hips began to pick up speed, keeping their motions harsh and close as he own end began its approach.

     His fingers teased between her legs, slow circular motions that he knew she liked. He drank in the little twitches in her hips and the way her grip on his forearms tightened until her nails dug into his skin. Their breathing grew to sharp pants, Grell’s far worse than his. 

     Her legs widened of their own accord again, hips rolling up against his hand to get as much stimulation as she could. She doubted she’d have to ask his permission this time, it wasn’t like that tonight. She turned away form him, instead focusing all her attention of the warmth bubbling up inside her and trying to spill over.

     Eric buried his face back into her neck, nipping and sucking at the skin while he continued to push himself into her. Breathing in her scent his free arm wrapped itself around her waist to keep her as close to him as possible, he wanted to make sure this was a moment where it was nothing but them together. 

     Grell couldn’t hasten her end fast enough, but Eric made it oh so easy for her. A short cry left her when she finally felt the heat in her abdomen spill over, spreading from her core to her fingertips and the curled ends of her toes. Her body tightened and a daze came over her, pleasurable and hot that she didn’t want to end. 

     A guttural groan left Eric when he felt her around him, he’d never tell her but looked so damn beautiful when she came apart like that. His hips continued their motions through her orgasm, his hand leaving to join his other in wrapping around her waist. Usually he liked to draw things out and try for a few rounds, but tonight this was all he wanted, just this one instance together that he could hold on to when once again they would part.

     Now wasn’t the time to think of that though, besides maybe this time it would be different.

     His arms tightened their hold on her as his own thrusts grew faster and harsher, egged on by the way her voice resounded around them with his every motion. A low growl left him as his head fell against her shoulder, feeling the tightness in his abdomen that signaled his impending release.

     Every press of his hips forced another short cry from Grell, they way they gave her already sensitive body little jolts of pleasure that would no doubt leave her more than ready to sleep when he was finished with her. Her head turned slightly to rest against his, breathing hard against him as one of her hands left its place on his forearm to instead tangle in the unbraided side of his hair. 

     A low hiss left him before he silenced it by biting into her shoulder. The tightness in his abdomen finally broke as his own release washed over him, hips pressing as far into her as possible. He barely registered the little purr she gave at the feeling, she always had liked them to finish like this. Once the pleasurable feelings began to fade away his hips stalled to a stop, chest heaving against her back as he tried to catch his breath.

     Grell keened as she finally let herself fall limp beside him, tired grin etched into her features. A soft groan left her when his hips pulled away from hers and her legs began to feel heavy and spent. Using what consciousness she still had she cuddled herself up to him. “Mmm that was nice~” She breathed, eyes closing as she let herself relax again. 

     Eric gave a soft chuckle before he pulled her close again, nuzzling his nose into the back of her head. “Ye’ goo’night’ bird.” he said, smile evident in his voice as his arms secured their hold on her . 

     “Good night darling.” She replied. completely certain that she would sleep well tonight.


	7. Apologies

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Neither Eric nor Grell are very good at verbalizing an apology

Sometimes Eric could be a complete idiot, but so could Grell. They were both stubborn and sometimes they did and said stupid things to each other – but at the end of the day they just couldn’t stay away. One way or another they always came back, and each time one of them was hoping that the other wouldn’t pull away again.

Of course there were plenty of times where both of them were stupid at the same time, and when that happened each would be unwilling to admit that they might’ve been wrong. That’s why this time they both sat in separate rooms of Grell’s flat, Grell in her own room and Eric firmly placed in his usual spot in her living room. Neither wanted the other to leave, but somehow fixing their argument wasn’t coming very easily either.  

Usually when he refused to leave Eric caved in first, and when that didn’t work he would just storm out, it had become almost like a rhythm by now. Still, this time he wasn’t sure what he was supposed to do, how he was supposed to apologize or if she even _wanted_  him to apologize.

He didn’t have a chance to think that through no, not when he heard the familiar sound of her bedroom door swinging open. Of course he didn’t turn or acknowledge that she’d come out, that would’ve only made it seem like he’d been waiting for her. 

Still, he did at least turn to her when he felt her weight beside him, brow cocked warily in case she had only made herself more angry from other thinking again. However, she didn’t _seem_  hostile and he took that as a good sign.

There was a heavy pause for a moment before Grell finally let out a low sigh and turned to better face him. “I’m sorry, that was stupid.” It wasn’t much, but from Grell it was a sign that she cared enough to admit that she had been wrong this time.

His lips tugged into a wry looking grin before a strong arm moved to wrap around her shoulders and tug her close to his side. “Ye it was, I was too. Such a fussy thing when yer angry ye know?”

That only earned him a roll of her eyes and an elbow in his side. Still, she could at least admit that it felt nice to be like this again, to feel the ease of feeling safe beside him. Of course she still had more to do to be certain that he understood her forgiveness of him.

With a shake of her head she moved herself and planted herself in his lap, arms draping over his shoulders as she looked at him with a relaxed seeming tilt of her head. The longer she looked at him the more things she found that she didn’t want to be without. The strong line of his jaw and the patch of hair on his chin that always seemed to scratch at her skin in a comforting manner, the way his brows always seemed quirked smugly, the way his glasses framed his eyes, those lips that always seemed to call to her, everything about him just made her keep coming back.

“Comfortable Grellie?”

“Shut up.” Her words were spoken lightly, grin tugging at the corners of her lips before she leaned in to press her lips against his.

Her lips pressed against his firmly, enjoying his familiar taste and relishing in the way his strong arms wrapped themselves around her waist to keep her pressed closely against him. Grell grinned against his lips, slender fingertips gently threading through the unbraided side of his hair to keep her lips against his. 

Eric was of course perfectly alright with keeping her where she was, especially if it meant that a fight was avoided again. They never could stay away, they always had to come back, but neither of them really wanted to leave in the first place. Perhaps that made them a tragedy, but for this moment everything was alright. 

As long as they made this moment last then they had no need for anything else.


	8. Still Beautiful

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grell is having a bad night, thinking about what made her into a reaper in the first place and Eric takes notice.

She never understood some of the things he did, but there were moments where she was oh _so_ grateful for them. This was one of those moments, though she couldn’t deny that the feeling of his calloused fingertips against her scarred skin made her feel just a flicker of fear. Of course she wasn’t afraid of him, no, she was afraid that she would finally be too much and like so many others he too would walk out of her life without even looking back.

It had been one of her bad days, she’d been feeling fragile again. Her steps had been slow and sluggish, eyes glassy and looking like she was constantly on the verge of tears, even her posture had been weighed down, when she was like that she just couldn’t hide what was inside her. Grell couldn’t even explain why days like this happened, but when they did she just wanted them to be over with as **soon** as possible. 

She’d been sitting on the edge of her bed, staring intently down at her wrists, unable to tear her eyes away from the jagged scars that marred her porcelain skin. The longer she stared the farther back in her mind she traveled, back to the time before she’d drawn that blade across her wrists, back to the darkness that never seemed to end. Grell knew that she never wanted to go back to that life, she was much happier here even if she wasn’t completely happy. However, that didn't mean that sometimes the past didn't still weigh on her.

As she sat with her eyes boring into her wrists she didn’t notice the sound of her bedroom door opening or a freshly showered Eric standing the doorway. 

He stood for a moment, brows furrowed in concern while he watched her staring blankly at her own wrists. He was never sure what to do when he saw her like that, one wrong action and she’d be in an even worse state or they’d be in a fight of some kind, it was always hard to figure out what he was supposed to do. Still, he didn’t like to see her like that, didn’t like the way she looked so _breakable_ , it just wasn’t what she was supposed to be.

Giving a slight sigh he moved forward slowly, deciding that it would at least be worth a try for him to see if he could put her in a better place. He moved cautiously, easing himself into a place beside her and wrapping a strong arm around her smaller frame to tug her close to his side. 

Grell had stiffened when she felt his weight beside her, though she didn’t stop him from putting his arm around her. It wasn’t one of the nights when she didn’t want to be touched, but she wasn’t entirely sure what she did want either. Her eyes still refused to leave the scars on her wrist, scanning over them again and again. 

Of course Eric knew what they were, she’d already told him long ago. Then again, that didn’t stop the fear inside her that one day he would look at them with disgust and suddenly see her as something terrible. He hadn’t done that yet, and in her mind she knew that he wasn’t the kind of man to do that, but still she couldn’t shake that fear.

She was still staring at her scars, still thinking too much. Eric gave a slight shake of his head before giving her a gentle squeeze. He’d learned how she was when she was lost in her own thoughts, but he didn’t want her to go in too far tonight. Without a word he'd removed himself from her side and took up a place on his knees in front of her. 

At first she felt her heartbeat quicken, uncertain of what he might’ve been doing or why he’d removed himself from her side. Grell shrank back a bit, bottom lip held tentatively between the points of her teeth. 

Large rough hands had reached out to gently pull her wrists closer to himself, thumbs gently brushing over her still soft skin. Eric gave a slight tilt of his head as his own eyes traced over the scars on her skin, thinking on the weight they must’ve given her. 

Holding her wrists with one hand his other moved to gently drag his fingertips across her scars, following their jagged pattern as a somber expression graced his features. 

At first she’d tried to pull away just a little, but his grip on her wrist kept them in his hand. She didn’t know what to do, didn’t know what to make of the gentility he showed her and the silence that hung between them. Sometimes she simply didn’t know what to make of Eric, but she was sure that there were more than a few times that he didn’t know what to make of her either. 

Still holding her wrists in his hand he moved forward to straighten himself, leaning up to press his lips against her forehead, breathing in her scent and trying to push past the air of fragility that she seemed to have encased herself in. 

“Yer thinkin’ too much burd,” He murmured against her skin before pulling away and moving down to press a soft kiss  against her lips. “and yer still beautiful, no stop with tha’ look and get to bed.” 

He was trying, she could tell that he was. A soft grin spread across her lips before her watering eyes closed and she gave a simple nod of her head. In his hands her wrists felt safe and for a moment she had almost completely forgotten about the scars that lay across them. 


	9. Mine

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric is feeling a little possessive of Grell

Where others might have expected that she wanted freedom and flirtation, they would’ve been surprised to find that she lived for possession. She wanted a man that would remind her time and time again that she was his – that’s why this worked out so well with Eric. Even if there were times when it could lead to a volatile fight, usually she was rather pleased with where his possessiveness put her. 

That was what she needed right now, the feeling of his calloused hands holding her hips in a bruising grip as he pushed her against a wall and his lips trailed across her exposed skin. When he was like this with her she felt like there was no going back, and she was perfectly alright with it. 

Soft whines echoed in her throat as she felt the scratch of his scruff against her soft skin. His lips trailed along her jaw until he reached the crook of her neck, earning a squirm from her. Her neck had always been unusually sensitive, but that was knowledge that he always tried to work to his advantage. 

Her back gave a slight arch when she felt his teeth sinking into her neck, finding the slight stinging sensation to be absolutely enthralling. Her breathing grew harder and harder as she was pressed tightly between him and the wall, right where she belonged.

She could feel his lips sucking harshly at the flesh of her neck, feel the blood rushing towards him and marking her skin. Of course she didn’t mind at all, in fact she wanted as many marks on her skin as he could possibly give her. 

After another moment Eric pulled away, smirk on his lips as he looked down at his work on her neck, a deep red mark that was unlikely to fade away quickly. 

Of course the feeling of his mark on her skin was absolutely nothing compared to the rush she felt when he leaned and growled “ _Mine”_ in her ear.


	10. Stay With Me

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> an easy morning between Eric and Grell

Eric never liked to give her a moment of peace, at least not when he was in a good mood. In truth she didn’t mind, she rather enjoyed his teasing affection. She swung her legs over the edge of her bed, arms stretching out above her head with a slight yawn. She lurched forward a bit when she felt his heavier form leaning against hers as he wrapped his arms around her waist. 

“I wanted to get up you know.”

The redhead rolled her eyes when the only response she got was that grin he gave her when he wanted something from her, though she surmised that this time he only wanted her to remain in her place beside him. 

“Stay ‘ere Grellie, don’ need ta go anywhere.” 

Grell gave a roll of her eyes, though she couldn’t stop the grin that spread across her lips. She playfully made a feeble attempt to push him away and pry his arms from around her waist, but he only tightened his grip on her. There was no stopping the giggle that left her lips, moments like this were ones that she could never get enough of. 

“You’re not going to let me go even if I try to move are you?”

“Not a chance.”

His words were met with a shake of her head and a widening of her grin. She gave sigh and relaxed against him, rather content with her momentary fate of remaining in bed for a little longer. As she leaned back against him she felt the slight tickle of his scruff against her skin as he leaned in to press a kiss against her jaw. 

She leaned away only for a moment before turning to press an exaggerated and dramatic kiss to his cheek before she launched a barrage of kisses against his face – if he was going to keep her there then he would have to deal with the consequences. 

It only took a moment for both of them to start laughing before they fell back against her bed once more, grinning like idiots the whole time.


	11. Fragile

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A moment where Grell is feeling a little down

Days like this were the worst, days where she felt fragile and there was nothing that could be done about it. Days like this were hard on both of them, Eric could be so callous without meaning to be and Grell of course never had any intention of telling him what kind of place she was in.

One way or another he always found out though – this time he just wished that it hand’t been like this. 

He thought that his usual rough humor was nothing to worry about, that she would simply dish it back to him as she usually did. That’s how they were, how they’d always been. Even though they could explode at each other in ways that would’ve sent other people running from them, they always found a way back to each other (even if it took a certain amount of time of nothing but grumbling). Even though they could be the absolute worst to each other at times, they never stayed that way for long.

This time though, this time she shrank away from his harsh words and turned away from him. Of course he hadn’t thought that it was for any reason other than for her to be a brat, that’s why he’d kept going.

It wasn’t until he’d heard her cracking voice yelling for him to stop and be quiet that he realized that something wasn’t right. By now experience had taught him to approach her with caution when she was upset – after all they could both be volatile in the wrong situation.

He’d reached out to gently place a large hand on her shoulder, brows knitting with concern when he felt her trembling and heard the sound of her trying to hide her tears from him. 

“’‘ey 'ey don’ cry Grellie don’ cry.” He murmured fervently, moving to crouch down in front of her. 

Grell kept her eyes tightly shut, tears rolling down her cheeks as she tried to keep herself from doing more than trembling with tears. She hated being like this, feeling fragile and not finding the ability to even give him some kind of sarcastic response for him. 

When she didn’t answer him he did the only thing that he thought might convey his feeling of remorse – after all he really hadn’t meant to make her cry, and certainly not to hurt her. He pulled her down into his arms against his broad chest and held her tightly.

The redhead curled into him, shoulders still gently shaking and tears rolling down her cheeks. As much as she hated this feeling, as much as she hated looking like this, she was so happy that Eric was still there – that just this once she wasn’t too much for someone.

As he held her close to his chest the larger reaper ran his fingers through her hair for a moment, trying to comfort her and fix whatever he’d done. He slowly pulled himself from her only a little bit, just enough for him to lean in and press his lips against her forehead, the scruff of his chin gently scratching against her skin.

Even though Grell still felt fragile and her tears didn’t seem to want to stop, she thought she felt a sense of calm moving over heart when she felt his lips against her skin. As volatile as the could both be with each other, they were also the best people to comfort each other whenever it felt like nothing else could.


	12. Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grell finds herself outside after an argument with Eric

She had stormed out; now she leaned back against a grimy London wall, letting the rain wash down her face. She didn’t know why she had let herself get so worked up, sometimes her temper was as bad as Eric’s. She knew he’d probably be asleep by the time she got back, but it was her own fault. 

Her eyes closed as she let the rain pelting against her skin, soothing her. She didn’t even remember why she had gotten so angry; and for once Eric was being the cool-headed one, he didn’t even yell back at her. She hoped she hadn’t hurt his feelings; even if he had a thick skin that didn’t mean that she didn’t worry all the same. 

The rain pelted down so hard that she couldn’t hear the sound of thick boots coming towards her. Eric spotted her leaning up against a wall and rolled his eyes before quickening his pace towards her. “Ey! There ya’ are” He called flipping up the collar of his jacket. 

Grell opened her eyes at the sound of an all too familiar voice, Eric had found her. She hadn’t expected him to come find her, he didn’t often do things like that. “Eric! What are you doing out here?” she asked pushing herself off the wall.

“Wha’s it look like ‘m doin’? ‘M commin’ ta’ get you.” he grunted with another roll of his eyes, before jerking his head back into the direction he had come from. 

“You didn’t have to, I was gonna come home.” she muttered not meeting his eyes. She saw his feet shuffling closer to her, when she looked up he towered above her as always, but he was shaking his head at her with a half grin on his handsome features. 

“I can’ leave a lit’le thing like you in th’ rain, even if ya’ are a bit of a prat.” he chuckled holding his arm above her head to block the rain. 

“I’m not little,” she protested, only to drop her head before him sadly. “But you are right about me being a prat, I’m sorry.” she sighed reaching up to rub some rain from her glasses. 

No sooner had she reached her hand up then she felt his larger hand tilting her chin up, her eyes met his, his smile spreading over his face. 

“Stop tha’ I know yer’ sorry, but yer’ still lit’le t’ me lass.” he chuckled before leaning down to press his lips against hers. The scruff of his chin brushed against her wet skin in a way that made her smile against his lips. His hand moved from above her head to snake around her waist, and pull her close. 

Grell’s eyes fluttered shut as she slipped her arms over his broad shoulders. The rain washed down her face, making her feel like she was being forgiven for everything she had said, his kiss seeming to seal the feelings inside her. They pressed against each other, Grell cradled against his broad form that seemed to swallow her up. 

After a moment they broke apart but remained held in each other’s arms, Grell’s head resting beneath Eric’s chin. 

“Come on Grellie le’s go home, can’ stay in this rain fer’ever.” He chuckled slipping his arm over her slender shoulders and turning to walk them back. 

“Alright, I’ll make you some bacon when we get back, maybe I’ll even make it with some whiskey.” she replied with a smile slipping her arm around his waist as they walked, the rain pounding around them in an almost comforting manner. 


	13. Arguments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric and Grell are in yet another fight

Another fight, it was astounding how often things went like this. She wasn’t even sure how this one had happened, but they were yelling again. Eric had come back so late, she had just missed him, wanted to know why he always had so much overtime. Now here they were standing in each other’s faces and shouting. He towered above her, any other woman might have been afraid, but she had none of that fear. Though she certainly wasn’t happy with the situation, she refused to back down, no matter how loudly he shouted.

“Ya think I wan’ to be there all th’ time!? I don’!”

“Well that’s pretty damn hard to tell! You never come back I’m lucky if I get to see you for more than a few minutes in the office!”

“Well with all yer’ talk abou’ a damn baby it’s no wonder I’d wanna be away!”

The retort she’d been preparing died in her throat; how could he say that? He knew better than anyone else what she wanted and yet he would say something so cruel. She hung her head low and began to shake with the force of her rage, hot tears of frustration welling up behind her eyes. 

Eric realized too late that perhaps he had said something worse than he thought. She was shaking again, it looked worse because she was so much smaller than he was, a slight panic spread across him for a brief moment but he quickly discarded it.

“Ahh Grell I didn’ mean tha’-”

“Shut up! Just shut up Eric!” Her voice shook like the rest of her body as she reach up to grasp at her arms tightly, as if she could stop the shaking rage she felt. 

“Dammit Grell jus’ lis’en! I didn’ mean’ anythin’ by it, jus’ you talk abou’ a baby all th’ time an-”

He never got to finish he sentence. Grell broke in the moment; before he could utter anything else that might make her more upset she lashed out. A harsh  ** _smack_** resounded in the room around them as her hand made contact with the side of his face. 

Grabbing at the side of his face Eric howled at her. 

“Wha’ th’ Fuck was tha’ fer!?!”

“You’re so stupid Eric…just-just leave me alone.” she muttered quietly, turning away from him. She couldn’t be there right now, she needed to get away. Trudging away she went straight for her bedroom, slamming the door shut behind her before she slid down the ground. She rested her head on her folded arms trying to stop the angry shaking that still racked her body. 

Eric winced at the sound of her slammed door, he realized he must have really upset her this time. He gave a sigh and fell back against her couch, still rubbing at his face where a red hand print was showing on his skin. He knew she’d come back out eventually, but it would be awhile. 

“Dammit Grell…” he muttered more to himself than anything else, sighing as he let his eyes fall closed in hopes that maybe this time she would forgive him quicker than usual.


	14. Comforting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grell's trying to comfort Eric after he's had a bad day

Grell knew Eric was upset, she had seen him storming out of the dispatch earlier. She had asked William to let her go early, though he hadn’t been happy about it he relented and let her go. After handing in her last report she gathered her coat and made her way to the dispatch flats, passing her own and heading straight for Eric’s. 

She gave his door a quick rap with her gloved knuckles, listening closely. She could hear a shuffling behind the door, but no answer. She had a feeling this was going to be one of those nights. She sighed before placing her palm flat against his door.

“Eric, I know you’re in there. Open the door darling.”

Still no reply.

“Eric please, I don’t want to let myself in, but I will.”

_“Not now.“_ came muffled from behind the door.

The sound of his voice worried her, if she was correct he’d be drinking again. She let her eyes close and a deep sigh left her lips as she pulled out the spare key to his flat that she kept for emergencies. 

The door opened with a soft  _click_ , swinging open a little as she poked her head into his flat. He was faced away from her, the top of his hair showing just above his chair. Her soft expression switched to one of concern when she saw a half-drained bottle of cheap whiskey on the table next to him. 

"Eric?” she asked quietly, shutting his door behind her. He merely grunted in reply. She removed her coat and hung it in its normal place by his door before slowly walking over to stand behind his chair. She could see his head held in his hands,fingertips gently rubbing at his temples. 

He looked back and saw her from the corner of his eye, giving an almost unnoticeable nod in her direction. A hand reached out to grab at the neck of the bottle, pulling it to his body and taking another swig. She saw a familiar shudder run down his spine, knowing the taste had hit him hard.

“Eric…you shouldn’t drink that much.” she spoke quietly, reaching a hand out to place it on his shoulder.

“Shut up. I cn drink if wan’ t'. ‘Sides ‘snot like anyone gives a fuck.” he muttered, slightly slurred.

A frown settled on her face at hearing his words, she certainly cared. She leaned forward over his chair and wrapped her arms around his shoulders from behind, nuzzling her face into his hair. 

“Eric, you should know that I care, very much.” she said quietly.

He seemed to relax for a moment, exhaling loudly and leaning back in his chair to rest his head against in the crook of her neck. She reached a hand up to gently run the tips of her fingers through the unbraided side of his hair, gently scratching at his scalp. 

“I know it must’ve been an awful day darling, but you can’t always drown it in a bottle, you can come to me.”

“I know I know.” he muttered looking up at the ceiling. 

She could tell he wasn’t really listening to her, he was far too gone; lost in his own mind again. Even so, she remained standing behind him, one arm draped over his chest and shoulder. Perhaps he just needed her to be there, it was something that often helped him. 

She rested her head against his, letting her eyes close as she continued to run her fingers through his hair. His breathing was beginning to steady, but she knew the effects of his intoxication wouldn’t wear off until the morning. 

“Come now darling, it’ll be alright. Maybe you should lie down.” she murmured into his hair. He gave her a grunt, shuffling around in his chair. He began to push himself off the chair, prompting her to move out of his way. 

He stood shakily, staggering slightly. Her hand reached out in case she would need to steady him again, like she did so often. He turned back to her, sloppy grin on his face. 

“Come on Eric, let’s get you to bed." 

She strode forward to his side, slipping under his arm. He pulled her into an unexpected tight embrace, his form seeming to swallow her up. 

"Thanks Grelly” he murmured resting his chin on the top of her head.

“You’re welcome darling, now come along.” She replied trying to turn him and walk his hulking form to his bed, where he could sleep away whatever still stirred inside him.


	15. A Family PT 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Eric asks Grell for something she wasn't expecting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this scenario Grell is biologically female

"So what d'ye say? Will you bear my children?" Eric asked softly.

At first, she didn’t know what to do, what to say, it just seemed so strange to hear from his mouth. She’d broached the subject before, but every attempt had been met with excuses and ended conversations. Maybe it was because they were so volatile together, constantly falling apart only to fall together again – but how she’d wanted to hear him say that before. Unfortunately, she was no stranger to his broken promises and the words that he would soon forget. Still, she _wanted_  him to mean it, wanted to have a chance to finally have all the things they’d talked about, all the things he’d tried to promise her – even if it might’ve been a slim chance at best.

For a moment she looked away from him, cautiously reaching up a hand to brush her fringe away from her eyes. Perhaps it was all a dream, once again she would wake to find that he was gone again, but if that was the case then she didn’t want to wake up yet.  Her eyes pressed themselves tightly closed for only a moment before she finally let a grin spread over her features.

Even if it was only a dream it was _her_  dream, and this was exactly what she’d wanted. Her eyes finally moved up to face him, her expression filled with a deep seated joy and eyes almost watering. She hoped beyond hope that this would be real, that he would be trying to fulfill one of the dreams she’d confided in him, that maybe, this time, there would be no falling apart, just staying together.

“Eric, you know you don’t even have to ask. I mean we’re _really_ going to? I can’t wait!”


	16. A Family PT 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A look at family life of Eric and Grell

Sleep had become an indulgence for them, one that both Eric and Grell were more than happy to share when it was available to them. However, a pair of small hands shaking Grell to rouse her from her sleep meant that she wasn’t about to let Eric continue to sleep without her. 

“It’s your turn to get up first.” She mumbled, pushing her own hand against his broad shoulder to wake him – and the feeling of a weight beside her could only mean their daughter had decided to join them until they were out of bed. 

“She’s yer spawn you ge’ up.” Of course even as he spoke he lifted his arm so a little pile of red hair could slip underneath it and deposit herself beside him. His arm tightened slightly to bring his daughter close to his side, safely nestled against his chest. 

Grell only rolled her eyes at him before propping herself up on her elbow and reaching out for her glasses before slipping them on to her face. “She’s yours too you know – and if either of you want breakfast you’ll have to get out of bed.” 

Without another word she swung her legs over the edge of bed, arms stretching out above her head with a yawn. She could hear the sound of Eric groaning behind her and feel him shuffling about to wake himself up, it made a smile spread across her lips. 

* * *

She didn’t even bother to dress before she was working on breakfast, she thought it would be perfectly fine to be lazy on her day off. Her head perked up when she heard a high giggling from the hall, glad to see that both Eric and their daughter had finally gotten out of bed. When she turned around she saw both of them entering the kitchen – her daughter being carried under one of Eric’s arms and seeming to thoroughly enjoy it. 

“Now ge’ in yer spot lass.” He said, quickly depositing her in her seat at his side before taking his own. “Hurry it up woman, you’ve got a starvin’ family ‘ere.” He said turning to Grell with his usual arrogant grin, only earning him a roll of her eyes before batting her hand against his shoulder. 

“Shut up or I’m keeping your food for myself.” She said, snatching a piece of bacon from his plate and popping it into her mouth. She knew he was teasing, but it wasn’t as if she was going let him get away it without some kind of consequence. 

* * *

The day had seemed like everything would be fine she’d been easy since breakfast – even went down for her nap on time. Grell and Eric had thought it would be nice to simply have a moment of rest, she would be waking up soon enough anyway. 

However the sound of her roaring with laughter made both of them stop and look at each other, both having the same feeling that they should’ve double checked to make sure that she had _actually_  been asleep.

After their momentary shared look they were both up and moving for their daughter’s room, only to see her bed empty and her blankets haphazardly dumped on the floor. Slowly they turned to see their bedroom door open and hear the sound of her laughter echoing from it. 

“I thought you closed the door?”

“I though’ she was sleepin’!”

As they stepped inside their room they both just stopped taking in the sight of their daughter seated on the floor, both her face and the wall beside her covered in dark red lipstick. Of course judging by the grin on her small face she was having a grand time. 

Grell let out a low sigh and let her head fall against Eric’s shoulder in exasperation. “You wash her face and I’ll take care of the wall.” She really hoped that hadn’t been her favorite tube of lipstick, but her luck had never really been that good with little things like that.


	17. One Moment

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peaceful moment between Eric and Grell

Quiet nights at home could be so nice sometimes, especially since Grell so rarely only wanted to do that. She was curled up on her couch, nightgown on and book in hand. Of course, she didn’t mind waiting for Eric to come home, she only hoped he’d he in a good mood when he did finally come through the door. She hummed quietly to herself, gently flipping a page as she read on.

The sound of her door opening made her head lift, eagerly waiting to see him come in. Her book was set on the edge of her couch before she stood up and bounded over to him, draping her arms over his shoulders with a grin before he had a chance to protest.

However, she was glad to find that he only wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed a kiss to her temple. Small purrs left her lips before she pressed against him and nuzzled her head against his shoulder, relishing in his little moment of affection.

**"** _C’mere, yer lookin’ pretty t’night. **”**_

A giggle left her lips before her head tilted and she flashed him an excited grin.  **“** Am I? Or is that your way of saying that you want something? **”** she asked, swaying slightly as she looked at him. Of course, she was just teasing, but she knew there was always the possibility that he’d done something and was trying to prevent her from actually being angry with him.

His hands went to her waist before he shook his head and moved closer to her. _**“** Dinna be a brat. **”**_ he said with a roll of his eyes. Still, he began to move with her sways, eventually reaching for her hand and gently leading her in a small dance. Grell had no complaints about that, grin widening as they moved. She stayed silent this time, following his lead while they both occasionally hummed and moved across the floor of her flat. How long had it been since they last did this? Far too long she thought. 

She didn’t know how long they danced, only that by the time they finished she felt a pleasant warmth in her chest and need to be as close to him as she could possibly be. She pressed against him and buried her face into his chest, breathing out a content sounding sigh.  **“** I’m glad you’re home. **”**


	18. One Day

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grell and Eric expressing wishes for their future

This was one of those moments where Grell wanted to do nothing more than remain in bed, entangled with Eric and unable to stop grinning. She pressed herself into his side, arms holding onto his waist while his large fingertips gently carded through her hair. 

**“** This is nice, I wish we didn’t have to work in the morning, **”** she said, nuzzling into his side despite the roll of his eyes she could see. Eric wasn’t always a fan of affection like she was, but as long as he didn’t vocalize his objections, she had no intention of stopping just yet. She adored the feeling of his firm muscles beneath his skin, the ones that put him on par with her own levels of strength, the familiar scent of his skin, and the warmth of his arm over her, all her favorite things.

A chuckle rumbled lowly in his throat before he turned and pressed a kiss against her forehead, the scruff of his chin scratching at her soft skin. **”** Could just stay ‘ere instead, forget abou’ t’morrow. **”**  he said with a shrug.

That was a nice thought for her, to forget about the world they were supposed to be part of, and just stay in their own. After all, how long had they been doing this? Living out this ridiculous punishment and being part of a realm that they had no real interest in, it all got so boring so quickly. Of course having each other made it much easier, and Grell was thankful for that. 

**“** Ye, we could jus’ stay ‘ere or jus’ leave. Ge’ outta ‘ere and go anywhere else, jus’ us. **”** he said, voice sounding almost wistful.  **“** Actual house ‘n maybe somethin’ nice. Wha’ d’ye think o’ that? **”** he asked softly, turning to look at her again.

Grell could feel her grin widen, a warmth spreading from her heart as she tightened her hold on him. It was just a great image to her, to have a space only for them without the concerns of their duties. She leaned and peppered his skin with small kisses before she nuzzled at him again. 

**“** I think that sounds perfect, just leave it all behind it, and keep it just you and me. **”**


	19. In The Smoke

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Grell reflects after Eric's Death

There was darkness everywhere now, the momentary elation was gone and her clever guise of indifference had faded away. She wasn’t supposed to mourn him, no one was, but she couldn’t help it. For the boy, there had been comfort and words of kindness, people were  _supposed_  to mourn his loss, but she never would. Grell didn’t care, he would’ve died anyway, he shouldn’t have taken Eric with him.

Of course, she was supposed to play the right kind of woman in such a situation. After all, wasn’t she supposed to feel some kind of satisfaction in knowing that leaving her led to his death? He’d chosen someone else, and in the end, it had destroyed him. 

As much as she tried to say that it was alright and that his death had been deserved, she couldn’t stop the heavy feelings that had settled over her. The crushing weight of the darkness  _he_  must’ve been in surrounded her in a terrible fog, cutting off her breathing and pushing her down. She wished that there had been something else, that he would’ve chosen her instead, something that would’ve left him here with her.

Was he with  _him_  now? She didn’t know, but she almost hoped that he wasn’t. 

When the  _full_ execution had come she’d been there, seen the fires they’d set to his body. The black smoke, the choking air that embedded itself inside her the same way he had. Eric was part of her, she knew it. He’d touched pieces of her heart and seared them away from anyone else, in her very bones she was sure that she could still feel the familiar sensation of him holding her. When she lifted yet  _another_  cigarette to her lips she could still remember the way he’d lit it for her with his own, both dropping their ashes into the same tray, over and over.

Now she was smoking alone, dried tears staining her face yet again. As she blew out another grey tendril she blinked and felt her head stop. For a moment, she could’ve sworn she saw his face behind the cloud, the way she always had when they were like this together. She sat up so quickly that she almost dropped her cigarette, but of course, it didn’t matter, he would never be there again.

A sigh left her before she gave a shake of her head and seemed to slump, cigarette held aloft. Hazy eyes gazed at the embers on the end, chest tightening and fresh tears welling up. She closed them tightly, a small whimper the only sound to be heard in her dark flat all night. Finally, she tapped her cigarette, watching the ashes accumulate in the steadily growing pile of her ashtray.

“This is close as I can come, isn’t it? To having you here again…you shouldn’t’ve left in the first place…”


End file.
